Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., criticized Democrats over the Department of Homeland Security funding dispute, telling Newsmax on Friday that the standoff is "political theater" and urging lawmakers to move quickly to fund the agency.
On "Bianca Across the Nation," Gimenez argued that Democrats missed an earlier opportunity to de-escalate tensions when President Donald Trump replaced Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
"I think that the Democrats actually had an off-ramp when the president decided to change the secretary of homeland security," Gimenez said. "That would have been a great offering for the Democrats. They didn't take it."
Gimenez said Democrats have no clear path forward as negotiations remain stalled.
He also pushed back on calls from some Democrats to cut funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, noting that the agency already has funding for years to come.
"They really have no off-ramp," he said. "They want to defund ICE, and ICE is funded until 2028. We're not going to defund ICE."
The congressman said the impasse is having real-world consequences for federal workers within DHS, including those in the Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration.
"It's the hardworking men and women of the Department of Homeland Security that protect us every single day that are suffering," Gimenez said.
He urged lawmakers to end the dispute and approve funding, emphasizing that policy disagreements should be handled through the legislative process rather than through a shutdown threat.
"We need to bring this to an end. This is just political theater," he said. "Let's go ahead and fund the agency."
Gimenez added that Congress has appropriate avenues to resolve differences over immigration enforcement and DHS priorities without jeopardizing agency operations.
"If we have differences of opinion, we can work that out in both chambers," he said. "Shutting down DHS is not the answer."
Lawmakers remain at odds over DHS funding, with negotiations continuing as pressure mounts to avoid further disruptions to the agency's operations and workforce.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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